A Trip Down Memory Lane

My old Escondido, California, high school chum, Bob Thompson, sent me this e-mail today after reading my murder mystery Evil in the Mirror:

"I once knew a set of identical twins. WE rode Cushman motor scooters, swam and fished in Peckstein reservoir not far from your house in San Marcos (drinking water for Vista, California and we use to pee in it too!). Cruised in a black SHOEBOX Ford

that had flamed black and white tuck and roll, got BUSTED at the illegal Hourglass drags races out by Miramar air base (Me- your POP- Walt and you.) I hope this is not a veiled biography of later days? Your book scared the crap out of me!

Bob"

Memories flooded into my mind like fine wine and warmed my senses with youthful recollections of wonderful times gone by. Bob also attached great pictures of his current classic cars. He always had the neatest cars in high school!

We looked forward to our 50th high school reunion in 2011, so we could reminisce in person while dancing to rock and roll music and acting like teenagers again.

Would I go back? No, I like who I am and where I am at now. But, it is nice to remember the good times and take the mental time machine back to a gentler era when things were so simple and life was innocent.

I’m just saying,

Mittster

A Sign of the Times

Is it just I, or is our great nation learning to live negative and fearful lifestyles? Even during the darkest hours of WWII, the United States of America was positive, optimistic and proud. What happened to the power of positive thinking and living? What happened to the ability of being grateful for what we have today instead of worrying about what we might lose tomorrow? How many of us are living in fear, waiting for some great catalyst to wipe us off the face of the earth, while, instead, we should be living each minute of every day in joy and celebration that we are alive with a roof over our head and food on the table?

I know it’s easy to blame the negative news reports we are bombarded with daily. It’s even easier to blame all the crap we read and see on the Internet. The world is doomed December 2012. The Mayans predicted it; therefore it is truth. Since when did we start believing in cultures that sacrificed men, women and children to a multitude of gods who were carved from stone? So the Mayans ended their calendar cycle in 2012; I ended mine when I reached the age of fifty, but here I am still alive and grateful.

I remember being taught to think of the future and not live in the present. Well, I have news for you…today is really all we have, so you better live it to the fullest. I plan on celebrating my life and times with joy and happiness, while staying positive no matter what the news. Even in the worst of times, life is precious and unique. I can see, hear, smell and feel the wondrous world around me, but best of all, I can imagine and dream of worlds beyond the senses.

Let us remember that the universe we live in is all about change and that we humans might not be included in that change.

That’s where faith comes into play. My faith enables me to know that when I leave this beautiful blue planet,

I will go on in the spirit of Devine Love. That fact is the strength behind my positive attitude. But it matters not where the positive attitude comes from, as long as you have one. Without it, you are surely going to be living in a dark, fearful and scary place.

I say it’s time to stand up, dust yourself off, and join me in being a positive and loving person. How can you recognize the positive people? We are the ones with the smiles on our faces!

Write on,

Mittster

Monday Sucks

I have always wondered why Mondays are so hated by the world over. I always thought it was because it was the start of the work week, but I have found much more profound reasons. Click on the title of this blog and try to read through the history of Monday. Holy crap, reading it will give you new reasons to hate Mondays.

There is more to Mondays than hoping “Hump Day” will arrive soon. Some people only have Mondays and nothing else to look forward to.

Besides, you need to walk in my shoes to know how I really feel about Mondays.

Some people hate Sunday mornings much more than Mondays!

I think in prehistoric days men would have preferred to go to work somewhere else on Mondays.

Even in the "Old West" days Monday's sucked.

The only good Monday morning would be if I worked in a house of ill repute as a butler.

Or perhaps this job might do on Mondays.

This is what actually happens to me on Monday mornings!

Remember the priest earlier in this blog? He sucks like Monday too!

So...welcome to my "Office of Monday Morning!"

Write on,

Mittster

Little House of Trikes

Last Saturday in northern Arizona was truly a magnificent fall day. The air was clean and sweet smelling from all the rain we had the previous week. The mountain peaks appeared so close that reaching out and touching them seemed possible. All summer long we had suffered from the smoke of prescribed fires filling the Verde Valley with thick, smelly and lung choking filthy air. One deep breath Saturday and we knew it was going to be a fantastic motorcycle day.

I met up with two other riding buds and one budette in Sedona. It’s nice having a woman rider along. Julie keeps us civil (sort of) and she is one of the guys when it comes right down to it. She belongs with our group of ragtag riders who don’t take life too seriously and love to laugh. Teasing one another is par for the course and it helps to learn that laughing is contagious and good for the soul. Jay, Hoppy, Julie and I all smiled and hugged at our meeting. We are great friends one and all.

Julie

Hoppy

Jay

Mittster

After some hot coffee and sweet pastry in the Village of Oak Creek, we saddled up for the ride to Mayer and a look-see at a terrific trike and classic bike shop we had heard about from Adrian, who owns a tattoo shop named Physical Graffiti in the Village. We had met at his shop because my wife Sandy wanted a small tattoo, but she was unable to be with our group that day. We met in the parking lot and Adrian was able to check out our bikes, which consisted of two Harley V-Rods, a 1975 first-year Honda Goldwing and a Harley Super-Glide.

As we headed south toward Interstate 17, it became apparent that the day was special and smiles spread wide as we negotiated the last round-about and headed for Mayer. Even though the air was crisp and cold, it felt good after a hot and long summer. Traffic was light going south, but northbound was heavy as the tourists flocked toward Sedona. Thank God we were going the other way; Sedona can become a zoo and no place to be riding a motorcycle when the car traffic becomes heavy.

We soon turned on the I-17 south and cranked up the scooters to 75 mph with wind in our faces and brilliant sun lighting up the fantastic vistas. It didn’t take long to reach Cherry Road and we then headed west toward Prescott until we reached Highway 69 and turned south again toward Mayer and The Trike Shop. We arrive to the sight of two beautiful trikes outside for display. We rode around to the back of the shop, parked, shed coats and gloves, and headed inside to the best motorcycle shop I have seen in years.

I only took pictures of the Harley trike conversions this time and the pictures I took of all of us meeting in Sedona didn’t turn out because I am an idiot (don’t ask).

My V-Rod when I get too old to ride two wheels.

We are planning another trip soon so I can photograph the many classic Harleys, Indians, Hondas, and other fantastic one-of-a-kind bikes in the museum. Thank you, "Scruf," for being the perfect host during our visit!

To be continued….

Write on,

Mittster

Saturday R rated Funnies

While the credit for these cartoons must go to others, I love to share the laughs with anyone who stumbles onto my blogs. Grab a cup of Joe and relax. I know this is a lazy man's blog, but I don't blog on Saturdays and Sundays anyway. Then again, this is MY blog, if you don’t like it, don’t read it!

Below - this blond is not so stupid!

I'm just saying make it so,

Mittster